Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls of Meat!

By golly, I think I've got it. Finally, a meatball recipe that suits my taste perfectly - in texture and flavour. And to think, it all began innocently with me buying a packet of raw beef patties with no thoughts of meatballs. Continue reading the column for more about this moist, juicy meatball and to get the recipe.

Look at how moist it is:

Prepped and all ready for the frying pan. Give the recipe a try and let me know what you think.

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Sweet Bay

Tear or crush a fresh bay leaf with your hands and smell it and you'll quickly understand why it is the most widely used culinary herb. I'm sure that you've used bay leaves many times in your various food preparations - stews, soups, casseroles etc. You might be interested to know how we use it here in the Caribbean - primarily for its folk properties. Read all about it in this week's column. Who knows, you may discover, yet another way to use bay leaves.

It is also important to note that all bay leaves are not the same. They may have similar properties and be of the same family of evergreen trees but they are not all the same in terms of flavour and intensity.

If you've never had bay-leaf tea, you've got to give it a try. Check out the column for bay-leaf tea combos.

Bay-leaf Tea

INGREDIENTS

3 large fresh West Indian bay leaves (or the fresh variety you have available to you)
2 cups water
Sugar (if you take sugar with your tea)

DIRECTIONS

1. Add water and bay leaves to saucepan, cover and bring to a boil. Let boil for 4 minutes, turn off heat and let steep for 4 minutes
2. Strain and sweeten

NOTES

• You can opt to let the tea steep until it comes to room temperature, strain, reheat, then sweeten and drink
• The number of bayleaves for this tea may vary depending on the variety you are using
• Add more leaves to this tea if you like your tea stronger

OTHER THINGS TO TRY MAKING

• Bay leaf iced tea
• Bay leaf simple syrup
• Check column for other suggestions

To all the Dads that read this blog: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

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Chester Cake

Here in the Caribbean, we too have a rich food heritage centered on "ole time" bakeries and bread vans. A couple of months ago, Chennette wrote an Ode to the Bread Van in which she shared about the bakeries and bread vans in her hometown in Trinidad. I, for my part, immediately felt the longing for Chester Cake, one of those ole time baked goods that's not as popular today as it was back in the day. Read this week's column to find out more about Chester Cake and for a recipe to make it yourself. Trust me, you'll never throw away stale bread again.

I baked two pans of Chester Cake and introduced my Barbadian students to this Guyanese treat that was inherited from our European ancestors. The following week they wanted to know when I was baking again (smile).

I like my Chester Cake to have a buttery rich pastry crust that crumbles, falls in my lap, and melts in my mouth. I like the cake itself to be moist from the rum-soaked fruits and I want to smell the spices!

Make this soon.

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Negotiating & Bargaining

If you're anything like me, when it comes to eating certain foods, you negotiate and bargin with yourself. When I find myself in such a situation, it is quite a sight because you would swear that I have gone mad. I pace. I stop and stare at nothing in particular while the wheels in my mind roll, bounce and tumble; and yes, I talk to myself - in whispers and aloud. Let me take you through my most recent episode. And when you're done, be sure to check out my friend Mike's effort to eat healthy. Oh the lengths we go to and the things we say to justify our choices. I'd love to hear how you bargain and negotiate when you want to indulge or feel guilty having indulged.

Clockwise: skinless fried chicken, steamed corn, steamed okra, tomatoes & green plantain fries

Whenever a fruit or vegetable has just come into season, the first way I prefer to have it, is prepared simply, or, as some cases require - eaten as is. Steaming the corn may sound bland, but it isn't if you have fresh sweet corn. The kernels plump up and burst in your mouth letting out all its natural juice. It will have you knawing at the cob long after the kernels are gone.

There was a time in Guyana when a lot of imported items such as English potatoes were banned (that's a story for another time). The local fast food outlets then started making green plantain fries to go along with the fried chicken they would sell. It was a hit. Actually a friend of mine who was visiting the other day says that prefers to have his chicken with plantain fries.

Beautifully golden and very easy to make; these are best eaten while still warm. They are hearty and really compliment fried chicken or fried fish. Try it sometime.

Green Plantain Fries

INGREDIENTS

2 large green plantains
Oil to shallow fry
Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Peel plantains and cut in half crossway; now cut each piece in half lengthways then cut into fries by further cutting each half lengthways into 3 each strips/wedge
2. Heat oil on medium heat
3. Fry plantain in batches until golden; drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt

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